Impulse excitation study of elasticity of different precipitated microstructures in IN738LC at high temperatures

Author: Raman A.   Ibekwe Samuel   Gabb Timothy  

Publisher: Springer Publishing Company

ISSN: 1059-9495

Source: Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, Vol.14, Iss.2, 2005-04, pp. : 188-193

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

Previous Menu Next

Abstract

The elastic modulus of the cast superalloy IN738LC in various heat-treated conditions was determined with multiple specimens for each microstructure using the impulse excitation technique and the resonant frequencies while heating and cooling. Whereas the second and higher order harmonics were also excited in the high temperature range 700–1000 °C in 50 mm long specimens during controlled heating, analogous specimens 35 mm in length, impacted in similar fashion, did not excite the higher harmonics. Also, the 50 mm long specimens became excited and stayed in the second harmonic over broader temperature ranges during uncontrolled cooling inside the closed furnace. All precipitated conditions had nearly similar elastic data, varying from about 200 to 115 GPa, with small deviations, within 5%, found among multiple specimens of similar microstructures tested. Specimens with fine nano-size precipitates had a distinctly smaller rate of decrease in elastic modulus with increasing temperature, in contrast to a somewhat larger and nearly similar rate of decrease in specimens with coarse or medium-sized precipitates. This behavior is indicative of a larger average cohesive strength between the atoms and/or between the matrix and the precipitate particles in the former microstructure. The duplex size precipitate microstructure seemed to have both small and large drops in different specimens.